Virtual North Kawachi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #33 Dainen-ji Temple

 

     Dainen-ji Temple was founded by Priest Gan'a in 1314.

     In 1305, the Kagen Incident broke out.  On April 22nd, the residence of Hojo Sadatoki (1272-1311) was set on fire.  He was the head of the head family of the Hojo Clan.  The next day, his 12 vassals killed Hojo Tokimura (1242-1305), a leader of other minor families of the clan.  11 out of the 12 were beheaded on May 2nd.  On May 4th, Hojo Munakata (1278-1305), Sadatoki’s brother-in-law, was killed, framed for everything.

     The Kamakura Shogunate dispatched a mounted messenger to the shogunate's Rokuhara Tandai office in Kyoto and, accordingly, to the Imperial Court.

     According to the April 27th entry of the diary of Sanjo Sanemi (1264-?), the first report brought by the messenger reads, "On the 23rd, at noon, Tokimura Ason, the Gondaifu of the Left Capital, was executed."  According to the record by Nakahara Moshige, who was a kind of Secretary-General of the Imperial Court, "A courier from Kanto arrived. It says that Tokimura Ason, the Left Capital, was executed on the 23rd."  No one other than Hojo Sadatoki could have "executed" Tokimura, who was second only to the Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate.  Sadatoki had resigned the regent in 1301, Hojo Morotoki (1275-1311) was the Regent in 1305, but Sadatoki was still practically the top of the shogunate.

     Kurasu Kaneo (?-1318) sent a letter, dated May 16th, to Ken'a (1261-1338), the 2nd head priest of Shomyo-ji Temple, mentioning the message conveyed by the messenger was sent by the Regent, Morotoki.  Rokuhara Tandai had 2 chiefs: Kitakata (North) and Minamikata (South).  Kitakata was higher-ranking than Minamikata.  When the message arrived, Minamikata was Hojo Sadaaki (1278-1333), who was the son-in-law of Tokimura, and whose grandmother was Tokimura's sister.  Kaneo depicted the situation in the Minamikata office as follows, "There was constant commotion in Kyoto.  Some young men of the office carried their bows and arrows, and others hid their armor and stayed in the office at night.  As they were ordered not to attend on duty, they simply retired from the office.  Their nerves and livers were burning with fear.  Not only in the office but also in the city of Kyoto, the situation was like this."  In addition, the mother of Hojo Tokinori (1264-1307), Kitakata, was also a sister of Tokimura.

     Later, around midnight on the night of May 7th, a courier arrived again from the Kamakura Shogunate to deliver the letter from Regent Morotoki.  The letter read, "Suruga no Kami Munekata was executed today at noon due to his conspiracy.  You should know the information and, furthermore, regarding this matter, you should notify those in Kyoto and the lords and retainers of the western provinces not to approach Kamakura."

     Kurasu Kaneo continued in his aforementioned letter, "On the night of the 7th of this month around midnight, the courier visited Kyoto, regarding the affairs of Munekata.  The world is naturally at peace as the plot is revealed in this way.  It is especially pleasing for the sake of the nation, and especially for the sake of the Emperor."  Also, the letter sent by Sadaaki to Ken'a on May 15th reads, "It is especially regrettable that Kyocho (referring to Hojo Tokimura) has met with such misfortune, but now that the plot has been revealed, the world is left as it should be."  This suggests he had a sense of relief at finally being freed from the constant fear of being attacked by Kitakara.  Kitakata, on the other hand, should have had the same fear of being attacked by Minamikata.  Kyoto was really in commotion.

     In the entry on May 8th, Sanemori describes Munekata, who had once been based in Kyoto as the Rokuhara Tandai, as "reputed to be a very wise man at the time," and describes his death as "sorry and pitiful."

     Sadatoki’s doubts and fears might have caused, or at least worsened, the incident.  Losing his loyal vassals and blood brother as well, to evade responsibility, Sadatoki got addicted to drinking.  The autocracy by the head of the mainline Hojo Clan began rapidly breaking down. 

     Nagasaki Takatsuna (?-1333) was the butler of the Hojo Clan, and became the most powerful samurai in the Kamakura Shogunate after 1307.  The Kamakura Shogunate was destroyed in 1333.

     The commotion in Kyoto should have spread around the capital.  In 1314, the local samurai should have heard something ominous and sinister approaching.

Address: 2 Chome-9-4 Horimizo, Neyagawa, Osaka 572-0814

Phone: 072-821-6132

Shomyo-ji Temple

Address: 212-1 Kanazawacho, Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0015

Phone: 045-701-9573